Throwback MP3 of the Week: Olsen Terror, “Autobiography of An American Drone”
Once a week, Wayward Blog brings to you sounds of the area’s musical past.
Olsen Terror existed during a hardcore heyday in the Kansas City/Lawrence area. It seemed that you could see bands playing everywhere for a few years around the turn of the century: house shows, community centers, and even the Lawrence Visitor’s Center.
Hell, if you look at Olsen Terror’s lineup, it’s a veritable who’s who of the local punk scene:
Justin Betterton on vocals — current host of KC-DIY Radio, owner of Big Brown Shark Records.
Mike Tuley on guitar — Short Bus Kids, Or Die Trying, the Madd Scientists, and this little band called Ad Astra Per Aspera. I think we could do an entire month of Throwback entrees devoted to bands Tuley used to play in.
Luke Stemmerman on bass — also known as “Loco Luke-o Concern” of straight-edge hardcore legends One Concern. Show promoter extraordinaire.
Kurt Lane on drums — Ad Astra Per Aspera (when back from Brooklyn, where he currently lives with his wife and AAPA member Julie Lane). Has also drummed for Ssion.
Their shows were notable for being something like five minutes long. Kind of like an extended string of firecrackers, the band would show up, go off, and leave you wondering what the hell just happened. You’d be slightly dazed and blinking, wondering if you could get the license of that truck that hit you. You can get a much better-phrased review of one of their shows over at Too Much Rock.
